monthly employee publication january 2009 … · monthly employee publication january 2009 ......

Monthly Employee PublicationJanuary 2009

nside ...I Kansas transportation system draws praise

Office of Governmental Affairs established

Floberg new bureau chief

Speed bars being studied

Interest in public transit grows

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

TranslinesTranslines

Floberg new bureau chief Floberg new bureau chief

Kits will improve safety

See page 9

By SecretaryDeb Miller

Eisenhower Building- 2nd Floor West,

700 SW Harrison, Topeka, Ks 66603-3754

Governor: Kathleen SebeliusSecretary of Transportation: Deb MillerChief of Transportation Information: Steve SwartzEditors: Stan Whitley and Kim Stich

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Phone/TTY: (785) 296-3585 u FAX: (785) 296-0287

COVEROn the...

2008. It was a tough year for us.We grappled with funding uncertainties for all 12

months. It wasn’t until the leaves started changing colors in the fall that Congress passed a measure to fund the final year of the federal transportation program, assuring the states of crucial funding.

At the state level, the funding picture was no prettier. Revenues coming into state coffers declined as the nation fell into a recession. That prompted an across-the-board cut in agency budgets. Uncertain revenue projections forced us to suspend lettings for two months.

But despite the bleak financial situation, 2008 was also a year of accomplishments for KDOT. I’m proud of what we did last year under difficult circumstances and I hope all of you are, too. In case you haven’t been keeping a list of the positive things we accomplished in 2008, I’ll share some of mine:u Nearly 1,100 miles of Kansas roads were improved

at a cost of $327 million.u Sixteen priority bridge projects were completed.u The most expensive construction project ever let

by KDOT was opened in Overland Park. The $127 million project includes a new interchange at Antioch Road and

2008 filled with challenges, accomplishments

I-435 and much more.u In Saline County, reconstruction of a final section of

I-70 between Salina and Topeka was completed at a cost of $23.8 million.u Important projects got under way or were advanced,

including U.S. 59 in Franklin County; the U.S. 400 Dodge City Southwest Bypass; U.S. 54 in Pratt and Kingman counties; and U.S. 69 between Louisburg and Fort Scott.u The innovative I-35/87th Street interchange project

in Lenexa was one of 10 national finalists for ASHTO’s “America’s Transportation Award.” The project also finished second nationally in voting for AASHTO’s “The People’s Choice” award.u Kansas has the fifth best state-owned road and

highway system in the nation, according to the California-based Reason Foundation. The state had no urban or rural interstates in poor condition, tying for first in the nation.u A partnership between KDOT and the Kansas

Contractor’s Association (KCA) received national recogni-tion for a training program to enhance the opportunities of Kansas workers and to develop a highly skilled workforce.u The Kansas 511 Travel information phone line

received its two millionth call.u Camera images of major highways were added to

the 511 Web site.u Electronic message signs were installed along major

routes to pass along important travel information.These are by no means our only accomplishments of

2008. A longer list will be included in the 2009 annual report that will be posted on our Web site in a month or so.

I know there are many more lower-profile but impor-tant accomplishments we achieved every day that didn’t win awards or result in ribbon cuttings. Those are just as important to KDOT’s ability to provide a first-rate transpor-tation system for Kansans.

Thank you for persevering during a challenging 2008 and my best wishes for a happy and productive 2009.

The I-435/U.S. 69 interchange was recently completed as part of the Focus435 project in Overland Park. For more details, please see page 5. Photo by Kurt Weaverling

By Stan WhitleyA new bureau that focuses on

safety and technology seems like an ideal match for 20-year KDOT employee Mike Floberg. His office and field experience in those areas will be beneficial as he directs the new Bureau of Transportation Safety and Technology.

“I think it’s an intriguing mixture that provides a logical umbrella for safety experts and problem solvers to work together,” said Floberg, who accepted his new position

By Kristen BrandsDistrict Three Public Affairs Manager

KDOT, in conjunction with research provided by Kansas State University, has placed optical speed bars on K-27 in Wal-lace County just south of Sharon Springs.

Painted white stripes (or bars) were recently placed by a District Three crew on the north and south approaches to the curves on K-27 Highway located six miles south of Sharon Springs. The effec-tiveness of the speed bars will be exam-ined as part of a K-TRAN research study.

“The purpose of placing these trans-verse markings is to study whether or

Floberg new Chief of Transportation Safety/Technologyin November. “I’m looking forward to working with Traffic Engineering, Traf-fic Safety and ITS.”

Floberg will oversee the Traffic Engineering and Traf-fic Safety bureaus along with ITS. He has held positions in bridge design, bridge man-agement, ITS and in the field as Topeka Metro Engineer during his two decades with KDOT.

Floberg started working for the agency in 1988 after graduating from Kansas State University with a de-

gree in Civil Engineering. He worked as a Bridge Designer until 1993, then was promoted to Special Bridge Inspection Engineer where he served until 1999.

He began working as Assistant ITS Engineer in 1999 and was promoted to State ITS Engineer in 2002. He remained in ITS until April 2007 when he accepted the position of Topeka Metro Engineer.

Floberg and his wife, Coleen, have four children. The family includes two daughters in college, one daughter work-ing for Blue Cross Blue Shield and one son, who is a senior in high school.

Mike Floberg

Debra Hepp, KDOT Program Consultant in the Office of Civil Rights, was honored as the 2008 Kansas Minority Business Advo-cate of the year.

The honor was bestowed by the Kansas Department of Com-merce Office of Minority and Women Business Development during an awards presentation recently in Topeka. She was nominated for the award and selected by the Minority Business Development Committee.

Hepp has worked for KDOT 11 years and been in the Office of Civil Rights since its inception.

The Office of Minority and Women Business Development administers the Kansas Statewide Certification Program where wom-en and minority businesses can be certified as a Disadvantaged Busi-ness Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise.

KDOT installs optical speed bars on K-27 as part of a safety study. Photo by Kristen Brands

not drivers reduce their speed of travel in response to the bars,” said Robert Weiss, KDOT District Three Area Four Engineer at Oakley. “The optical speed bars are spaced at gradually decreasing distances with the intent of enhancing the driver’s perception of speed – resulting in speed reduction.”

As motorists pass through approxi-mately four speed bars per millisecond, they will encounter the illusion of acceler-ation near the curves. This illusion should cause them to reduce their speed of travel while traveling through the curves in the highway.

Debra Hepp

Hepp honored by Commerce

Speed bars being studied

According to Area Engineer Mike Longshaw, K-96 in Reno County had a history of rear end accidents at the inter-section of 56th Street. To help alleviate this, the District Five, Area Two, Area Crew team took on the task of constructing an additional lane to help reduce accidents at this intersection.

Members of the team were honored as an Example of Excellence for the third quarter of 2008. Secretary Deb Miller attended the event on Nov. 24 in Hutchinson.

As traffic turned left on 56th Street, southbound through traffic on K-96 would be required to stop and wait until the turning movement could be made, Longshaw said. The Bu-reau of Traffic Engineering examined the accident history and concluded that a bypass lane should be built at the intersec-tion the next time a major project was constructed.

“But since there was no project scheduled in the near future, KDOT’s maintenance forces in Area Two decided that this was a project that they could handle,” he said.

With the help of Traffic Engineering, a lane addition project was designed, then constructed by Area crew members with assistance from the District maintenance crew, the Sub-area crew and the District striping crew.

“The new passing lane seems to be performing very well, helping traffic flow into the northern por-tion of Hutchinson more efficiently and safely,” Longshaw said.

Members of the team include: Dave Alexander, Darin Bailey, Don Brittain, Lar-ry Casey, Chris Collins, Chris Craig, Mike Diffendal, Brian Gower, Harold Havens, Gina Henn, Rick Jenkins, Diann Linville, John Loehr, Alan Mantooth, Shane McCon-nell, Chad Morgan, Dan Ochs, Dave Peters,

Above, District Five, Area Two, Area Crew team members pose with Secretary Deb Miller, first row center, at the ceremony honoring them in Hutchinson on Nov. 24. Below, the improvements to the intersection can be seen.

KDOTEmployee

PROGRAMRecognition

Dale Pitchford, Chris Pruitt, Britt Rice, Rod Roberts, Larry Sangals, Mike Smith, Poncho Smith, Shane Thurmon, Shawn Thurmon, Clint Weyrauch and Karen Vogts.

Do you know of a KDOT group, team, unit, or office that has gone above the call of duty? Then nominate them for the Example of Excellence award. All KDOT employees are encouraged to suggest ideas and can now fill out Form DOT 1204. Once it is filled out, the nomination is then sent to the selected Division Director, Bureau Chief, District Engineer, Area Engineer, or Subarea Supervisor who can then sign the form and submit the nomination to Transportation Informa-

tion.Hard copies of the form are still avail-

able by calling Transportation Information at 785-296-3585 and require the signature of one of the supervisors listed above.

The award is given quarterly with nominations for the fourth quarter due to Transportation Information by Dec. 31. The deadline for the next quarter is March 31, 2009. - K.S.

Employees work together to improve intersection

By Kim QuallsDistrict One Public Affairs Manager

OVERLAND PARK – The larg-est project ever let to construction by KDOT involving improvements to I-435, U.S. 69 and Antioch Road in Overland Park was celebrated at a rib-bon cutting ceremony on Dec. 15.

“The many improvements included in this project will save commuters time, frustration and enhance safety for years to come,” said Secretary Deb Miller. “And at a time when businesses need all the help they can get, this project will cut costs by allowing commerce to

Focus435 project opens to trafficmove faster and more efficiently.”

The $127.4 million project began in fall 2005. This project was funded to improve east-west traffic flow on I-435 between Metcalf Avenue and U.S. 69 as well as ease congestion and provide ad-ditional access with a new interchange at Antioch Road and I-435 and with modifications at the U.S. 69 and 103rd Street interchange.

“For 20 years, Overland Park of-ficials urged state and federal lawmakers for funding and support. We express our appreciation to all those who have committed themselves to improving

the safety of motorists and ensuring our economic vitality for businesses and residents of Overland Park,” said Mayor Carl Gerlach.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Congressman Dennis Moore; Landon Fulmer, Legislative Director, for United States Senator Sam Brownback; and Bill Clarkson, Jr., Clarkson Construction Company.

Three years of construction were completed in mid-December, and all lanes and ramps are now open for use. Landscaping and finishing touches will be completed by early summer 2009.

Secretary Deb Miller speaks at the Focus435 opening celebration, while showcasing (in the background) one of the project’s key highlights - the new U.S. 69 to I-435 interchange flyover ramp. Photos by Kurt Weaverling

(Pictured left to right) Mayor Carl Gerlach of Overland Park; Johnson County Commissioner Ed Eilert, (Former Overland Park Mayor); Secretary Deb Miller; Mary Birch, Lathrop & Gage (Former Overland Park Chamber Executive Direc-tor); Bill Clarkson Jr., Clarkson Construction Company; Landon Fulmer, Legislative Director for U.S. Senator Sam Brownback; and U.S. Congressman Dennis Moore; cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of the Focus435 Project on Dec. 15.

Oversight of state legislative and federal issues is now under one roof with the establishment of the Office of Governmental Affairs.

Secretary Deb Miller announced the new office in November as part of a small reorganization in the agency. Kyle Schneweis, former KDOT Long Range Planning Project Manager, heads the office.

Suellen Markley, who has handled federal/national issues in Planning and Development, will be one new member of the staff. Ron McMurry and Marcia Stambaugh, who dealt with state legisla-tive issues in Management and Budget, will also be Office of Governmental Affairs members.

“The issues that we face and the ap-proach we will take to handle them are related, so it’s only logical to put them

Office of GovernmentalAffairs established

in one office,” said Schneweis. “We want to combine the expertise that we have and allow everyone to operate on the same page.”

Schneweis started working for KDOT in January 1999 after graduating from the University of North Dakota. He was initially a Forecasting Engi-neer in Transportation Planning before becoming the System Enhancement Project Manager in 2004. In 2006, he began work as the Long Range Planning Project Manager.

Schneweis advised KDOT staff who are discussing important agency issues with legislators or elected officials to contact the Office of Governmental Af-fairs.

“It’s especially important that we are aware of communication with legis-lators,” said Schneweis. “It’s important that our district staff establish a relation-ship with legislators, but we can work together to be sure there is consistency in the message that KDOT is deliver-ing.” – S.W.

Condolences to the family and friends of a KDOT employee who recently passed away.

Lawrence D. Madrid, 56, died Nov. 19 in Topeka.

Survivors include one son, a step-daughter, a brother, a sister and his former wife.

Contributions may be made to the Lawrence Madrid Memorial Fund to be designated by the family at a later date and sent in care of the Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, KS 66603.

DeathsKyle Schneweis

A new U.S. 183 bridge over the

Saline River north of Hays is taking

shape with work on the superstructure.

Venture Corporation is in charge of the

$15.7 million proj-ect. Photo by Kevin

Zimmer.

Underconstruction

Calendar of EventsJan. 1 – State employees off for New Year’s Day.Jan. 9 – 9:30 a.m. - Highway Advisory Commission meeting.Jan. 13 - 11 a.m., Employees’ Council Meeting, Third Floor, Eisenhower State Office Building.Jan. 19 – State employees off for Martin Luther King holiday.Jan. 21 – 1 p.m. Construction bid letting, Fourth Floor, West Wing, Eisenhower State Office Building.

LisaKoch

By

transportation

TALK

The recent T-LINK Local Consult meetings provided a meaningful opportunity for participants to discuss the future of transportation in Kansas.

While most of the participants were focused on the need for improved highways and local roads, many showed up to discuss the specific needs of transit, aviation, rail, bicycle and pedestrian modes. I was fortunate enough to facilitate the transit breakouts and found that the needs and opportunities for transit statewide are great.

The discussion began in western Kansas with a focus on regionalism. Serving an increasingly aging population, transit providers advocated for more services from small towns to regional hubs like Garden City, Hays, Dodge City and Liberal so seniors who may not be able to drive could remain in their communities. With few dialysis and cancer treatment centers in the western Kansas, transit services that focus on getting clients in small towns to their medical

treatments are both necessary and lacking. In southeast Kansas, we heard about the need for work-

force transportation. Major employers like Amazon Distri-bution in Coffeyville have difficulty recruiting employees because of transportation issues. They have started shuttling in employees from Joplin and Tulsa in order to fill positions. Regional transportation in southeast Kansas would allow Kansas workers to apply for and fill those positions.

In the urban areas, demand for transit services con-tinues to increase. This summer, Topeka Transit reported that for every penny increase in gasoline, there was a daily increase in bus ridership of 150 people. Even as gas prices have plummeted, most of these riders have continued to use Topeka Transit because they found it to be a conve-nient alternative to driving. Demand has also increased for commuter services. The K-10 Connector from Lawrence to Johnson County has been exceedingly successful, with ridership peaking in August at nearly 1,000 per day. John-son County is considering adding Bus Rapid Transit routes on I-35 and Metcalf Avenue that will efficiently bring people from Johnson County to work in Kansas City, Mo.

Currently, the State of Kansas provides $6 million a year to help leverage federal and local funding for transit. This small investment provides more than 10 million transit rides annually to people across the state. Transit providers and advocates in Kansas are hoping for increased funding in the next transportation plan so they become more effec-tive at providing comprehensive public transportation across Kansas.

As we look toward a new transportation program at both the state and federal level, it is my hope that more fund-ing will go toward public transportation programs. Both in Kansas and nationally, expanded transit funding as part of a comprehensive transportation program is essential to over-coming the human services, environmental, economic and national security challenges we face.

Lisa Koch is the Public Transit Manager in Transporta-tion Planning.

Interest in public transit grows

The following employees will officially retire from KDOT in January.

HeadquartersDale M. Jost, Bureau Chief of Fiscal Services

District OneGary L. Green, Engineering Technician, Topeka

District FiveLott E. Metzler, Engineering Technician Senior, Hutchinson.

Retirees

Employees who choose to have retirement reception infor-mation shared on the Internet can be found at www.ksdot.org, under News and Announcements.

Monthly retiree meeting in TopekaKDOT retirees meet in Topeka on the first Tuesday of

each month at the Coyote Canyon restaurant, 1251 S.W. Ashworth Place (Huntoon Street and Wanamaker Avenue). Lunch begins at 11 a.m., with a program that follows. All KDOT retirees are invited to attend.

For more information, contact Bill McAdoo at 785-478-3941.

Do you know of other regular KDOT retiree meet-ings that take place across the state? Contact the Bureau of Transportation Information at 785-296-3585 to have it published in Translines.

KDOT ComputerTraining

– from the KCTCIncrease your efficiency!

Contact the KCTC at [email protected] or call Ingrid Vandervort 785-296-8993.

Microsoft Access 2007 has two ways you can create a mail merge from Access 2007 - either link to an existingMicrosoft Word document or create a new document.

Step 1: In the Access Naviga-tion Pane, click the table that has the needed data. Then click on the Ex-ternal Data Ribbon. Go to the Export section, click More and choose Merge it with Microsoft Office Word. (Or right-click the table in the Navigation Pane, choose Export and then Merge it with Microsoft Office Word).

Step 2: In the dialog box choose Create a new document and then link the data to it. Click OK.

Step 3: A Microsoft Word docu-ment opens, then you either: create a letter, an envelope, a label or a direc-tory. Select one and follow the wizard Office 2007 provides. (The 2nd step of the Microsoft Word wizard asks if you want to create a letter based on a template. The 3rd step asks you to choose the recipients. To use the table in Microsoft Access, make sure to select Use an existing list.)

Step 4: Click on Browse and navigate to the database. Microsoft Word will ask you to choose who you want to send the letter to. (If you haven’t written the letter yet, now you can do it. You can add new fields to the letter and take them from the Microsoft Access 2007 table.) When done, click on OK. When the merger is complete, you can print the letters and/or edit the individual letters. Save the Microsoft Word 2007 document in case you need again.

DID YOU KNOW?

KDOT and Amtrak have agreed on the scope of the Amtrak Expansion Feasibility Study. KDOT has budgeted $200,000 for the study. The study will identify capital requirements and operat-ing costs needed to provide state-spon-sored passenger rail service between Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Fort Worth.

The study will consider factors such as potential schedules, railcar and lo-comotive availability and capital needs for rail improvements to accommodate passenger service. As part of the study, BNSF Railway will analyze the capac-ity of the route because a passenger rail service would have to share the tracks with BNSF freight trains.

Preliminary work has already begun and Amtrak expects to complete the study sometime in 2009. The Oklahoma

KDOT, Amtrak agree on scope of rail feasibility study

and Texas transportation departments are cooperating in the study. If it shows evidence that state-supported Amtrak service should be considered, the states’ legislatures must decide if their states should support an expanded service.

The purpose of new passenger rail service would be to carry travelers along a 606-mile corridor in three states that connects to the national rail system. The goals would be to:uOffer an attractive alternative to

driving uProvide reliable, comfortable and

convenient service uImprove the mobility of travel-

ers who cannot drive, cannot afford or do not have other public transportation options uEncourage good potential rider-

ship

Step Back in Time

Johnson County bridge construction in February of 1955.

nWhen: Sunday, February 8, at 1 p.m.nCost: $6.50 per person, free shoe rentalnDeadline to sign up: NOON, Feb. 4 To sign up: Bring team money ($26) to Kim Stich in

Transportation InformationnWho: Teams consisting of 4 people (KDOT employees,

friends and family members are welcome to participate - it is just for fun)nWhere: Gage Bowl (On Huntoon Street just west of GageBoulevard in Topeka)

What is “Crazy Bowl?”People participating in the Employees’ Council Crazy Bowl event bowl three games. The first two games are bowled normally. The third game is the “crazy” part. Each frame is different - one time you bowl backwards, the next time you bowl on one leg, etc. And the only rule is that you relax and have fun!

It’s Wild, It’s Wacky, It’s Crazy!

For more details or to sign up, contactKim Stich at 296-3585 or your

Employees’ Council representative.

Crazy Bowl

By Kim StichKDOT employees who get called out on emergencies

at night will be better equipped to assist the traveling public while improving safety for themselves thanks to new emer-gency nighttime flagging kits.

“A lot of times they (KDOT employees) would show up to an accident and the Highway Patrol or Sheriff would be there flagging and we would relieve them,” said Kelly Gaer, KDOT Safety Coordinator in Construction and Maintenance. “They would leave and our employee would be there with a paddle and a vest, and that was it.”

Gaer and the District Safety Specialists across the state evaluated and tested hundreds of items for the kit. The kits are being assembled in the Districts and will be distributed at training sessions. The sessions will start in January and continue until May, Gaer said.

Flagging at night with equipment from the kit in use will be shown at the training. “We did some filming near Fort Riley and had a long stretch of road closed,” Gaer said. “We started filming it a mile away and you could see it in the road.”

The kits contain two vests, two pairs of pants with verti-cal stripes, a red wand, 3 Type A lights and six collapsible cones. Gaer said the kit is only for emergency situations. “If it’s a planned event, they still need to follow MUTCD guide-lines,” he said.

Two kits will be distributed to each Subarea at first, then

they will see how many more are needed. Gaer and the Safety Specialists will also continue looking at and evaluating new safety products to see if anything should be added to the kits. Input from field employees is also helpful, he said.

“If they get called out at 2 a.m., they will now have some-thing to help visually enhance the flagging position,” Gaer said.

Kits will improve safety in emergency situations

This emergency nighttime flagging kit is equipped to help im-prove safety for employees who are called out to assist with traffic control.

Do you know?

Fun Factsand Trivia

New Year’s traditions around the world

Hogmanay - The New Year in Scot-land is called Hogmanay. One can find barrels of tar set afire and gradu-ally rolled down the streets in the villages of Scotland. This ritual sym-bolizes that the old year is burned up and New Year is going to begin.

Burning “Mr. Old Year” - In Co-lumbia, Cuba and Puerto Rico fami-lies stuff a life-size male doll with items and dress it up in old clothes. At the stroke of midnight, this ‘Mr. Old Year’ is set on fire, doing away with all past griefs and ushering in happiness.

Eating 12 Grapes - In Spain, people eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight (one each time the clock chimes) on New Year’s Eve. This ritual originated in the 20th cen-tury when freak weather conditions resulted in an unseasonable bumper harvest of grapes.

Gifts in Shoes - In Greece children leave their shoes by the fireside on New Year’s Day (also the Festival of Saint Basil in Greece) with the hope that Saint Basil, who was famous for his kindness, will come and fill their shoes with gifts.

Carrying a Suitcase - In Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, and Mexico, those with hopes of traveling in the New Year carry a suitcase around the house at midnight. Some even carry it around the block to ensure travel-ing at greater distances.

Source: http://www.deepestfeelings.com/holidays/newyear/trivia.htm

Welcomenew KDOT

employees!

HeadquartersLeslie Fisher, Staff Development Specialist I, PersonnelKaelyn Seymour, Program Consultant I, Civil Rights

District OneWilliam Alexander, Equipment Operator Trainee, GardnerCaleb Clement, Engineering Technician Associate, Horton Robert Lambert Jr., Equipment Operator Trainee, Emporia

Paul Meese, Equipment Operator Trainee, EdwardsvilleDaniel Pittenger, Equipment Operator Trainee, Wamego Steve Simpson, Equipment Mechanic, TopekaKort St. Clair, Equipment Operator Trainee, GardnerCarl Untereiner, Engineering Technician Associate, Bonner Springs

District TwoTim Kraus, Equipment Operator Trainee, Ellsworth

District FourTom Reaves, Equipment Operator Trainee, Yates CenterScott Woodburn, Equipment Operator, Eureka

The Kansas transportation system drew national praise recently in an open-ing letter to President-elect Obama that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 14. The letter was submitted by Better U.S. Roads.

Following are several excerpts from the letter:

“Spending on infrastructure is an excellent stimulus for helping the econ-omy in both the short and long term. In order to have the greatest benefit to our children, total network planning is needed.

“Over the last 50 years, the U.S. has invested more than $2 trillion on roads. Annually, we spend $160 bil-lion on infrastructure at the federal, city and county levels, yet 60 percent of our roads are in “inadequate” condition. And it is estimated that an additional $100 billion per year is needed just to bring the U.S. road network up to “good” con-

Kansas transportationsystem draws praise

dition. We have many needs, but limited funds.

“Please consider four environmen-tally friendly actions that would create lasting change for our roads:

1. Recycle existing roads in-place2. Conserve road assets through

pavement preservation3. Support innovation that will allow

fast-track approval of new processes, products and services

4. Increase funding targeted towards network solutions that eliminate conges-tion

“The state of Kansas is a great example of the above suggestions in action. For the past 15 years, Kansas has focused on pavement management through its road network. This led to a doubling of road improvements and the state is now considered one of the most cost-effective users of taxpayer dollars.”

The Bureau of Personnel Services supplies information to Translines.

Transportation Briefs

M I L E S T O N E SKDOT salutes employees celebrating state anniversaries in December

State service anniversaries are compiled by Personnel Services.Employees and home towns are

included in this list.

10 YEARS

40 YEARSVerlin McHenry . . . . . . . Hutchinson

30 YEARSCorky Armstrong . . . . . . . . . TopekaJoseph Deckman . . . . . . . . . . . . HaysDennis Lane . . . . . . . . . . . . . TopekaJoseph Terry . . . . . . . . . . . . .Meriden20 YEARS

Kenneth Cohen . . . . . . .Junction CityBill Crooks Jr . . . . . . . . . Silver LakeRaymond Flores . . . . . . . . . . TopekaGregory Handley . . . . . . . . Grantville Marion Johnston . . . . . . . . . . TopekaDonald Kern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PerrySteven Shepard . . . . . . . . CherryvaleJulie Tooley . . . . . . . . . . . . . St MarysWillie Valdery . . . . . . . . . . . . Topeka

Brenda Abney-Gonzalez . . . . TopekaFrancis Wahrman . . . . . . . . Herndon

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is slowly finding real-world purposes for Twitter, a free short messaging service that al-

Twitter helps agency

PPE now covers jeansKDOT employees who are eligible

for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) will be able to divert a portion of the PPE Reimbursement Allowance to have KDOT furnish up to four pairs of jeans for use at work.

The jeans will be manufactured by the Kansas Department of Correc-tions and similar jeans can be viewed at http://www.kancorind.com/textile/jeans_hemmed.shtml.

Employees will be notified when information about the specific jeans that will be available and KDOT is ready to accept orders. For employees who choose this option, the cost of this ap-proved work apparel will be deducted from the eligible employee’s $250 an-nual PPE reimbursement money.

For more information, contact Tim Cunningham, KDOT Field Maintenance Engineer, at 785-296-3853.

Tell President-electThe American Association of State

Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) launched a new campaign that gives travelers an opportunity to share their views on what the new presi-dent and Congress should know about transportation. The public is urged to go to www.IToldThePresident.org and post comments and videos about their transportation concerns.

lows users to post updates (or “tweets”) to twitter.com subscribers. WSDOT up-dates its feed with traffic alerts and route changes for ferries.

“In an emergency, people will come to our Web site, [www.wsdot.wa.gov] en masse to the point that it overwhelms our servers,” according to WSDOT spokes-man Lloyd Brown.

Because the Web site is a popular source of traffic updates, sometimes it can’t handle a sudden spike in page hits, he said. During an emergency, WSDOT is considering the option of posting a “neutered,” bare-bones version of its Web site that contains a Web link to the Twitter feed. - Government Technology, Oct 22, 2008

Classes at District Offices

Upcoming KDOTTraining Courses

Classes at Headquarters

sBusiness Writing I, Jan. 21, HutchinsonsBusiness Writing II, Jan. 21,

HutchinsonsSMART Day 1, 2, 3, Feb. 17-19,

Hutchinson

sPE Review, Jan. 12-16, TopekasTTL & Ethics, Jan. 12-14, TopekasYou’ll Catch On, Jan. 15-16, TopekasNew Employee Orientation, Jan.

22, TopekasBEST, Jan. 26-30, TopekasSMART Day 1, 2, 3, Feb. 3-5,

TopekasBEST, Feb. 23-27, TopekasSMART Day 1, 2, 3, March 10-12,

TopekasNew Employee Orientation, March

19, Topeka

MindLeadersOrganizational Development

announces the availability of Mind-Leaders e-learning.

MindLeaders is an online em-ployee development tool that allows you to grow your skills at your own pace and focus on the training you need. There are over 700 courses available, including Customer Ser-vice, Business Writing, Communica-tion, Management Skills, and many, many more!

For more information, contact Lori Jones at 785-296-4566. For a sneak peek at MindLeaders go to the Learning Center at http://pathlore.ksdot.org/stc/LMSProd/cst_Main-HomeFrameset.html and click on MindLeaders.

Kansas Department of TransportationBureau of Transportation Information

Eisenhower State Office Building700 SW Harrison, Second Floor, West

Topeka, KS 66603-3754

PRE-SORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTOPEKA, KS

PERMIT No. 157

NOTE: This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact Transportation Information, Eisenhower Building, 700 SW Harrison, 2nd Floor West, Topeka, Kan., 66603-3754, or (785) 296-3585 (Voice)/(TTY).

Name _________________________

Address:_______________________

______________________________

Insulated Mugs

White 22 oz. mugswith red lids feature the

logo shown above in blue.

(Retirees: home address)For more details, call Chuck Protasio at 785-296-0284

Work

To Order:Headquarters: contact your Employees’ Council rep.Districts/Retirees: mail completed form (or photocopy of form) and checks to:Chuck Protasio, Program/Project Management, 700 SW Harrison, 2nd floor, ESOB,Topeka, KS, 66603.Checks payable to KDOT Employees’ Council.

Number Amountordered: _______ enclosed: __________

KdOt

BIG SALE!

Now you can get two mugs for just $6!!

Promotions/TransfersHeadquarters

Mike Floberg, Bureau Chief of Transportation Safety and TechnologySaul Schwartz, Systems Software Analyst II, Computer ServicesDebbie Tanking, Professional Civil Engineer II, Design

District OneWilliam Irsik, Equipment Mechanic Specialist, OlatheRichard Looper, Public Service Administrator I, Kansas CityLarry Rohr, Public Service Administrator II, Gage

David Studebaker, Public Service Administrator, Osage City Kirk Wohlgemuth, District Mentor, Topeka

District ThreeRandy Most, Engineering Technician Specialist, Atwood

District SixEric Jones, Engineering Associate III, LiberalThe Bureau of Personnel Services supplies information for promotions/transfers to Translines.

monthly employee publication january 2009 … · monthly employee publication january 2009 ......

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